A standard history of Oklahoma; an authentic narrative of its development from the date of the first European exploration down to the present time, including accounts of the Indian tribes, both civilized and wild, of the cattle range, of the land openings and the achievements of the most recent period, Vol. V, Part 84

Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 644

USA > Oklahoma > A standard history of Oklahoma; an authentic narrative of its development from the date of the first European exploration down to the present time, including accounts of the Indian tribes, both civilized and wild, of the cattle range, of the land openings and the achievements of the most recent period, Vol. V > Part 84

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While Mr. Wismeyer has lived in the western states of Kansas and Oklahoma more than forty years, his boyhood recollections center about a home in the State of Ohio. He was born at Hamilton, Ohio, October 20, 1852, a son of Henry and Mary (Richter) Wismeyer, both of whom were of German parentage. His parents spent practically all their lives in Ohio, part of the time in Cleveland and at other locations in Northern Ohio, and were for many years at Hamilton. His father died at Hamilton about 1882 at the age of sixty-eight. He had conducted a malt house at Sandusky and later at Hamilton. The mother is still living with a daughter at Hamilton at the age of eighty-five. The five children were: L. A .; Henry of Emporia, Kansas; Emma, wife of Frank Cobaught of Connersville, Indiana; Carrie, wife of John A. Keller of Hamilton, Ohio; and John, who died in 1910 in Guadalajara, Mexico.

It was in the home of his parents that L. A. Wismeyer lived until 1873. In the meantime he had made the best of his advantages in the public schools, and for two years had gained a practical business training as clerk in a dry goods store, his salary beginning at

$1.50 a week. In 1873 he went out to Kansas to join his uncle, Harry A. Richter, at Council Grove. His uncle was long prominent in Kansas politics, and served three terms as lieutenant governor of that state. Mr. Wismeyer remained with his uncle five years, employed in his drug store, and while there performed that various service required of pioneer druggists, not only in mixing and compounding medicines and pills, but , also in pre- scribing in the role of a doctor, and he gained such confidence that he could prescribe anything from calomel and quinine to snake ,medicine for the customers of the store.

Leaving Kansas, Mr. Wismeyer arrived at the Osage Agency on the site of the present City of Pawhuska, June 18, 1878, becoming chief clerk in the agency. He continued the duties of that office uutil December, 1884. The Indian agent had many responsibilities, including the issue of rations to the Indians. The supplies furnished through the agency store included a large stock of gen- eral provisions as well as clothing of all kinds. The head of each Indian family had a ration check, and this was presented to the commissary clerk whenever rations were drawn. Every few days from forty to fifty head of beef cattle were killed for the benefit of the tribe living around the agency, and sometimes a hundred head of stock would be driven into the corral each week, and after the animals were shot down the Indians would go in and proceed to skin and cut up the carcasses. These cattle were the substitute for the buffaloes which had furnished most of the meat to the tribes before that noble animal of the plains was exterminated. The cash payments were made semi-annually, in May and December, and averaged $3.25 to each individual. A year or so after Mr. Wismeyer became connected with the agency, on account of the dissatisfaction which had arisen among the Indians over the ration distribution, that system was abolished, and thereafter the Indians were paid their entire share in cash. One of Mr. Wis- meyer's experiences while chief clerk at the agency illustrates the attitude of the older full bloods toward the system of education which the Government was striving to introduce. The department had made a ruling that all Indians must have their children in school before they could draw their quarterly allowance. One day an old Indian demanded his money, and Mr. Wismeyer questioned him as to whether he had children in school. The Indian made a personal application of the school question to Mr. Wismeyer, who replied that he had attended school in order to learn reading and writing and to make a living, and that he held his job because of his education. The Indian retorted as follows: "You're a fool. I eat and wear clothes and don't have to hold down a job. If you hadn't went to school and got an education you wouldn't have to write, write, write all day and part of the night as you do here. White man heap fool. I want my money. ''

On December 1, 1884, Mr. Wismeyer secured a trader 's license, and became associated with Dr. R. E. Bird, one of the old established Indian traders. They engaged in general merchandising at Pawhuska, as licensed trad -: ers, and in 1885 established a branch store at Gray Horse in Osage County. In 1889 Mr. Wismeyer moved to Gray Horse to manage that end of the business, and after 1890 became sole proprietor of the store there. He continued in business at Gray Horse until 1903. With the coming of the railroad he and the other traders at Gray Horse, in order to avoid freighting. overland, determined to move their post to the rail. road. Mr. Wismeyer finally succeeded in gaining the consent of the Government officials to locate a depot where the Village of Fairfax now stands. In arranging

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2045

HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA

for the townsite he had to go to Washington and came home with full instructions how to proceed in securing the use of lands for town purposes. He procured forty acres belonging to one of the Indians, and had it surveyed into lots, streets and alleys, and he took for his own purposes one of the chief corners in the new town for his store and lumber yard. The railroad company first named the depot Coda, but Mr. Wismeyer finally gained their consent to the name Fair- fax, which was suggested to him by the old town of that name in Virginia. Owing to the fact that all the lots in the town could be used only by the right of occupancy the title to the land remaining with its Indian owners, Mr. Wismeyer spent almost the entire winter of 1904 at Washington, and finally secured a townsite bill which, while far from satisfactory, paved the way for a permanent town and the upbuilding of such insti- tutions as churches, schools and business enterprises. For more than ten years Mr. Wismeyer, though a man of unobtrusive personality, has been one of the real leaders in the growth of the community, has invested freely and with faith in the ultimate outcome in the number of local business institutions, and has always given liberally to movements associated with the general welfare of the community. He has been identified with the mercantile interests of the town since it was founded, was president of the First National Bank until 1912, was in the lumber business for ten years, being the first lumber merchant there, and for about nine years was one of the interested principals in, the operation of the first elevator.

Mr. Wismeyer speaks the Osage Indian language as fluently as the red men themselves, and also has a speak- ing knowledge of the language of the Kaws and Poncas. He has had continuous relations as an Indian trader for thirty-seven years. Politically he is a stanch republi- can, has been active in party affairs, but has never sought nor held an office. He is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Pawhuska. While living at Council Grove, Kansas, Mr. Wismeyer bcame acquainted with one of the belles of local society, and in 1884 married Miss Aggie C. Huffaker. Mrs. Wismeyer was born in Council Grove, Kansas, Novem- ber 1, 1857, a daughter of T. S. Huffaker, one of the pioneers in that section of Kansas. They have one daughter, Frances, still at home.

JAMES E. CRONKHITE. The Village of Hitchcock, one of the attractive and flourishing trade centers of Blaine County, claims among its progressive and substantial business men James Emmett Cronkhite, who here con- ducts a well established and prosperous hardware and implement business, as one of the representative expo- nents of this line of enterprise in the county. His sterling characteristics and personal popularity contribute a dis- tinet commercial asset in his business, and he is known also for his loyalty and public spirit as a citizen.

Mr. Cronkhite was born at Melvern, Osage County, Kansas, on the 24th of February, 1873, and is a son of Benjamin and Marietta (High) Cronkhite, both natives of Iowa and representatives of sterling pioneer families of that state. Benjamin Cronkhite was born in the year 1842, and was reared and educated under the conditions and influences of the early pioneer era in the history of the Hawkeye State. After his marriage he removed to Osage County, Kansas, where he continued successful operations as a farmer and stock-grower. In the year 1898 he came to Oklahoma Territory and established his residence at Kiel, Kingfisher County, where he became a pioneer merchant, besides building up a successful busi- mess as a dealer in horses. In 1901 he became one of the

first settlers of the newly founded town Hitchcock, Blaine County, and here he was associated with his son James E., of this review, in the general merchandise business until 1904. He continued his residence in this village until 1906, when he established his home on his farm, near Hitchcock, to the supervision of which property he gave his close attention until his removal to El Reno, when he practically retired from active business. He and his wife now maintain their home at Watonga, the judicial center of Blaine County, where they are enjoying the peace and prosperity that properly reward former years of earnest endeavor. At the time of the Civil war Mr. Cronkhite gave loyal and valiant service as a soldier of the Union. He was at the time residing in Iowa, but he enlisted in an Illinois regiment of volunteer cavalry, with which he continued in active service during vir- tually the entire period of the war. He is a democrat in politics and is affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republic. Of the family of six children James Emmett, of this sketch, was the fourth in order of birth; Frank, the eldest of the number, resides at Watonga and has valuable farm property in Blaine County; William resides on his homestead farm, eight miles west of Hitchcock; Lulu F. is the wife of Fred P. Higby, of El Reno, who is employed as a practical railroad man; Adell is the wife of Martin Truby, a jeweler at Coffeyville, Kansas; and John T. is engaged in the real-estate business at Watonga, Blaine County. The Cronkhite family removed to Florence, Kansas, in 1875, and in 1886 the home was established in the City of Emporia, that state, where the father remained until his removal to Oklahoma, as pre- viously noted in this context.

James E. Cronkhite received his early education prin- cipally in the public schools of Florence and Emporia, Kansas, and he continued to be associated with his father in the latter's farming operations until 1896, after which he was engaged in the same line of enterprise in Kansas for two years in an independent way. In 1899 he came to Kiel, Oklahoma Territory, and two months later he returned to Kansas and disposed of his live stock, after which he came again to Kiel, where he wa's engaged in mercantile pursuits for one year. In 1901, as previously intimated, he became associated with his father in the general merchandise business in the new Town of Hitch- cock, and in 1904 the business was divided and he assumed control of the hardware and implement stock and trade, which business he has since developed into the largest and most important of its kind in this section of Blaine County. The building which he uses for his business headquarters was erected by his father in 1906, shortly after the major part of the town had been destroyed by fire. The store is eligibly located on Main Street, has a floor space of 5,000 square feet, the establishment is kept up to high standard in both equipment and service and its trade is drawn from both Blaine and Kingfisher counties.

Mr. Cronkhite gives his allegiance to the democratic party and his civic loyalty has been shown by his effective service as counsel of Hitchcock, an office of which he was the incumbent one term, and also by his effective work as a member of the school board and his able adminis- tration in the office of treasurer of Lawton Township, a position which he is holding at the time of this writing, in 1915. In addition to his prosperous business at Hitch- cock he is the owner of an improved farm of 160 acres, situated eight miles northwest of the village. He is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Mutual Benefit Association. It may well be noted that Mr. Cronkhite is a scion of American colonial stock, the original repre- sentatives of the name in this country having come from

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HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA

Holland and settled in Dutchess County, New York, long prior to the War of the Revolution.

In 1894, in Kansas, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Cronkhite to Miss Josie Gardner, a daughter of Thomas Gardner, who is a retired farmer now residing with his wife in a pleasant home in Hitchcock, Oklahoma. Mr. and Mrs. Cronkhite have four children: Hazel is the wife of Isaac Heibert and they maintain their home at Hitchcock, Mr. Heibert being a successful farmer near this village; Paul assists his father in the hardware and implement business; Clarence is in the eighth grade of the public schools in 1915; and Marion is the youngest of the children.

JESSE LEE JACKSON. Among the recent additions to the legal fraternity of Washita County, one who bids fair to gain a position of leadership by reason of in- herent talent and thorough preparation is Jesse Lee Jackson. A member of an old and honored Southern family, Mr. Jackson came to Oklahoma in 1911 as an educator, but while practicing that vocation was pre- paring himself for the law, and after several years spent in practice at Cordell came to Sentinel in June, 1915, and has already attracted to himself a very desirable legal business.

Mr. Jackson was born January 6, 1884, at Middleton, Hardeman County, Tennessee, where the family had been pioneers, and is a son of J. S. and Edna (Bishop) Jackson. His father was born at Middleton in 1857 and there has passed his entire life as a planter and stockman and is known as one of the substantial agri- culturists and public-spirited men of his locality. He is a member of the Christian Church, as was also Mrs. Jackson, who was born at Middleton in 1864 and died there in 1900. There were nine children in the family, as follows: Samuel, who is engaged in farming in the vicinity of Avoca, Texas; Sydney, who resides at Hobart, Oklahoma, and is employed as a machinist; Jesse Lee, of this notice; Prince, a graduate of Hall and Moody Institute, and of the Lebanon Law School, Lebanon, Tennessee, and now a practicing attorney of Woodford, Oklahoma; James, who is an employe of the Memphis (Tennessee) Street Railway Company; Gertrude, who is the wife of Estill Wynee, a farmer residing at White- ville, Tennessee; Walter, who is engaged in farming in the vicinity of Middleton, Tennessee; Milton, who is engaged in teaching there; and Gracie, who is married and lives on a farm at Middleton.

The public schools of Middleton furnished Jesse Lee Jackson with his early educational preparation, follow- ing which he attended Hall and Moody Institute, at Martin, Tennessee, for one year. In 1910 and 1911 he was a student at the Southwestern State Normal School at Weatherford, Oklahoma, thus preparing himself for · a career as an educator, and the school year of 1911-12 was passed as principal of schools at Texola, Oklahoma. In 1912-13 he was principal of schools at Gotebo, Okla- homa, and in the fall of 1914 entered the Oklahoma State University at Norman, where he remained until June, 1915. In the meantime Mr. Jackson had been admitted to the bar of Oklahoma, in 1913, and in that year opened an office and began practice at Cordell, where he remained until 1915, dividing his time between the practice of his profession and attending the uni- versity. In June, 1915, he changed his field of operation to the City of Sentinel, and here he has since devoted himself to a general and criminal practice. He has offices on Third Street, just off of Main Street.

Since coming to Sentinel, Mr. Jackson has lent dignity and stability to professional affairs and is accounted a young legist of decided promise. He is a broad-minded

and progressive practitioner, a careful observer of the courtesies and amenities of his profession and . at all times a seeker after its most intelligent and commend- able compensations. He is a democrat in political mat- ters, but has not found time to engage in public affairs, save as a supporter of movements for the general wel- fare. His religious connection is with the Christian Church, of which he is a consistent member, and his fraternal affiliations are with Cordell Camp of the Wood- men of the World and Cordell Lodge of the Praetorians. Mr. Jackson is not married.

WILEY BOOTHE MERRILL. Among the men whose opportunities along professional lines have been excep- tional and who have made use of them in such a way as to make them important factors in the life of their com- munities, one who is deserving of mention is Wiley Boothe Merrill, who, since September, 1903, has been engaged in the practice of law at Elk City. A man of broad and comprehensive learning and legal talent of a high order, he has made a place for himself among the leaders of the Beckham County bar, where many of the leading cases of recent years have had the benefit of his capable services.

Mr. Merrill was born at Ladonia, Texas, November 17, 1881, a son of W. B. and Helen (Boothe) Merrill. He belongs to an old family of Virginia, founded there by John A. Merrill, who emigrated from England, en- gaged in planting in the Virginia Colony, became an adherent of the cause of the Patriots, and was finally murdered by the Tories of North Carolina. W. B. Mer- rill, the grandfather of Wiley B. Merrill, was born in Kentucky, in 1809, and in January, 1834, went to Texas. He returned to Kentucky for the rest of the family in 1835 and took them to Ladonia, Texas, where he became a pioneer ranchman. His name is connected with the military history of the Lone Star State as a lieutenant-colonel in the army of the Texas Republic, and his death occurred at Ladonia, in 1854. His son, also named W. B. Merrill, the father of Wiley B., was horn at Ladonia, Texas, March 11, 1846, and has resided there all his life, being still engaged as a farmer and cattleman. He is a democrat in political matters and has been active in civic affairs, having held a number of offices within the gift of his fellow-citizens of the town and county. He is a steward in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, having held that position for the past thirty years. At the age of sixteen years, he enlisted as a private in the Confederate army, as a member of Maxey 's Texas regiment, and served during the last two years of the war between the states. He has never lost interest in the welfare of his old army comrades, and for many years has been commander of the United Confederate Veterans Camp at Ladonia. Mr. Merrill was married to Miss Helen Boothe, who was born at Rome, Georgia, December 4, 1847, and they became the parents of two children: O. L., who is a cotton brokers residing at Ladonia, Texas; and Wiley Boothe.

Wiley Boothe Merrill attended the public schools of Ladonia, Texas, and was duly graduated from the high school there with the class of 1897. Following this, he took a course of three years in the academic depart- ment of the University of Texas, and then entered the legal department of the same institution, where he prose- cuted his professional studies and was graduated in 1903, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. While at the university he proved himself an assiduous and recep- tive scholar, applying himself closely to his studies, but found time to mingle freely with his fellows, with whom he was popular, being a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Greek letter college fraternity. Mr. Mer- rill entered upon the practice of his chosen profession at

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HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA

Elk City, at that time in Roger Mills County, but now in Beckhanı County, and here his entire professional career has been passed in a general civil and criminal practice, his offices at this time being located in the First National Bank Bulding. Mr. Merrill has built up a decidedly satisfying practice, both from the viewpoint of its im- portance, as well as from its volume. Care and pre- cision mark the preparation of all his cases of whatever nature, his thoroughness of preparation insuring a con- vincing and clear presentation of whatever subject comes before him for adjustment.

Mr. Merrill holds membership in the Beckham County Bar Association and the Oklahoma Bar Association. He is a democrat, although his activities in politics consist principally of the support of good men and progressive and beneficial measures. His fraternal connection is with Lodge No. 1144, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of Elk City. Mr. Merrill has not married.

GEORGE H. LAING. One of the oldest public officials in Western Oklahoma is George H. Laing, for many years clerk of the District Court at Kingfisher. Two of the present judges now serving on this bench are Judge Cul- lisou and Judge Roberts, both of Enid. Mr. Laing is an Oklahoma eighty-niner is a lawyer by profession, but his qualities and abilities have marked him out almost from the time of reaching the territory for official work, and he has been almost constantly in some office or an- other for twenty-five years.

George H. Laing was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, December 1, 1864, and has many prominent connections with old Scotch families. His grandfather, Alexander Andrew Laing, was born on the Isle of Skye, and was the owner of the Comely Bank Stock Farm three miles from Edinburgh noted as a breeding place of Galloway and Polled Angus cattle. Mr. Laing's father was Colonel George Alexander Laing, who was born in Edinburgh, and served in the Forty-second Highlanders during the Crimean war as captain of a company. He was awarded a Victoria cross for bravery at Iukermann and Alma. His death occurred at the stock farm near Edinburgh in 1873, about two years after the death of his wife. Her maiden name was Georgiana Isabel Brash, whose father was an Edinburgh architect and superintendent of construction. One son, John A. Laing, has long been in the British Army service, and was first lieutenant in the Seventeenth Punjar Light Infantry, in India.

George H. Laing was graduated from an Edinburgh academy at the age of seventeen. During 1878 he at- tended the Paris Exposition, and spent several months in travel over the continent. The following year he came to the United States, equipped with a good educa- tion, with special skill and proficiency as a penman and in accounting, and the following two years were spent as shipping clerk in a wholesale dry goods house at New York. Most of his active career, however, has been spent in the west. From 1882 he was for seven years engaged in operating a ranch on Platte River near Sidney, Ne- braska. While there he introduced Polled Angus cattle into Western Nebraska and Wyoming.

Mr. Laing came to Oklahoma April 22, 1889. At that date, when a portion of the present Oklahoma was first opened to settlement, he secured a homestead claim one mile north of Kingfisher, and at once built a cabin to live in while proving up his land. In a few weeks he was called to other duties. In June, 1889, he was made con- test clerk in the United States Land Office, and after fifteen months there became deputy district clerk at Okla- homa City under Judge Clark, then district judge. Re- signing this office in the fall of 1892 Mr. Laing returned to Kingfisher, and resumed his work with the land office. Vol. V-19

In January, 1893, he was admitted to the bar, and soon opened a law office at Kingfisher under the firm name Whiting & Laing. In the following September he opened an office at Enid, and in that town his practice was prin- cipally concentrated for four years. In 1897 he returned to Kingfisher and was soon called upon by Judge McAtee to become deputy district clerk. He was retained in the same capacity by Judge Irwin. Along with excellent penmanship Mr. Laing combined the valuable qualities of accuracy, painstaking care, and courteous and obliging attention to every duty, and these qualities have neces- sarily made him a very useful man in Oklahoma.

Mr. Laing still retains membership in the bar of Kingfisher County. He is an advocate of good schools, and as a member of the board of education has worked for their improvement, and always taken a prominent part for the upbuilding of Kingfisher and community. He was the first secretary of the Republican County Central Com- mittee at Kingfisher, and was also its chairman at a later date, and has been active both during territorial and state periods in his section. He is affiliated with the Masonic Order and the Knights Templar, with the Cale- donian Club, and with the St. Andrew Society of New York City. His church faith is that of the Episco- palian, and he takes an active part in church affairs.

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Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941 Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society Number of Pages: 644

Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 644